Improve Your Sales Call Effectiveness

If you’re in sales, you’ve likely had one of those days where you feel like cold calling is getting you nowhere. You can’t catch a break, regardless of who you call or how many times you pick up the phone. We’ve all been there; in fact, Hubspot found that 40% of salespeople believe that getting a response from prospects is becoming more difficult. However, in the larger scheme of things, it is important to remember that cold calling does work, and the phone remains the most effective way to reach prospects.

No one said it was easy – but you shouldn’t give up on the phone just yet. Why? 36% found it to be the most successful channel for sales reps to connect with prospects (HubSpot, 2018). Specifically, an overwhelming 42% found the phone to be the best method for connecting with VPs and Directors of Sales.

Now, that doesn’t mean that if you keep calling and calling you’ll eventually close a deal; the proper coaching, training, script adherence, and practice are all factors that will contribute to a rep’s success over the phone. So, what does this mean for reps?

Cold calling is worth your time and the rejection you will inevitably face. However, limiting that rejection and increasing sales call effectiveness means boosting revenue AND morale. So, here are a few ways to persevere and increase your or your team’s call effectiveness.

Figure Out What Works

As a manager, make sure your organization is gathering the metrics that matter. By tracking the number of calls reps are making, how many calls it takes to set an appointment, and so on, you can begin to narrow down the best days and times for reps to call, optimizing their time and effectiveness.

From there, listen to call recordings to narrow down what the most successful reps are saying and replicate those behaviors across your sales team. Coaching and training based on metrics will ensure that you are setting your team on the path to success. If you don’t yet have the tools or resources to do so, click here.

Ask the Tough Questions

As a rep, ask yourself, am I calling the right people? Am I reaching out to decision makers? Am I conveying the right message to my potential buyer? All of these questions factor into call effectiveness, as they can determine whether on not you get someone on the phone and, when you do, if the call goes well or not. Listening to recordings of your conversations to fine-tune your delivery is an effective way to improve phone performance. Sometimes even the smallest tweaks can make a difference.

Further, look at what your peers are doing. Who is successful and why? Listen in on a call with a top performer at your organization. If you notice something they are doing differently, try to replicate that successful behavior on your own calls. It’s a process of trial and error.

Finally, analyze your performance on a daily basis. Utilizing a sales tool is not only beneficial for managers; dashboard performance statics let reps know where they stand, alert them to when improvements are needed, and foster a sense of healthy competition amongst peers.

If you are struggling to hit your numbers daily, weekly, or even quarterly, here are some cold calling best practices and tips: